How to Clean Your Keyboard and Sterilize Viruses and Bacteria
Why You Should Clean Your Keyboard
First, keyboards aren’t the cleanest object in your home or office. Lots of crumbs from computer-side snacks work their way among the keys and build up underneath them. As a result, holding a keyboard upside-down can dislodge some nasty morsels from the past.
It’s so bad that the keyboard can be a safe harbor for germs. Time reported on how 27% of keyboards in the office have an ATP count of 300 or higher, which means they have “high levels of contamination.”
The keyboard tends to go under the radar when people clean their office space, allowing germs to flourish on and around the keys freely.
General Precautions When Cleaning a Keyboard
Before you learn how to clean a computer keyboard and eliminate all that grime, take a moment to remember the precautions for cleaning a keyboard.
1. Unplug the Keyboard From the Computer
First, ensure no power is going through the keyboard while you clean it. Unplug the keyboard from your computer while you clean, as this keeps you safe from both electrical problems and accidentally typing nonsense as you clean.
Of course, if you’re using a laptop, this is a little harder to do. As such, it’s best to power off the laptop and unplug it from the mains before you start cleaning.
2. Overturn the Keyboard Over a Suitable Dirt Catcher
You can get rid of some larger specs of dirt with minimal effort. Position the keyboard over a bin or sink, then give it a strong shake. This easy trick should clear out any big particles before you begin the proper cleaning procedure.
3. Remove the Keys Carefully
If you need to remove the keys on your keyboard before you start, be careful when popping them off. Forcing them too hard will cause more issues than a dirty keyboard. If you want, you can try a special key removal tool that makes the task easier.
How to Clean a Keyboard
Now that we’ve broken down why you should clean your keyboard, as well as some important safety tips, it’s time to choose your weapon of choice. There are several options available, so take a read of them all and pick out the one that fits your needs best.
1. Blast Dust With Compressed Air
One of the most-loved accessories for anyone who hates dust on their electronics, compressed air is the best way to clean a keyboard that has accumulated a thin layer of grime.
Compressed air is what it sounds like; a can of air that keeps its contents under a high amount of pressure. When you press the stopper at the top, the compressed air rushes out and blasts the dust in front of the nozzle. This is used to dislodge dirt from electronics, such as the insides of computers.
One of the best aspects of compressed air cans is how compatible they are with other components. These Rosewill Compressed Gas Dusters are great for cleaning out keyboards, but you can use it to clean other electronics such as the inside of your PC.
2. Removing Dirt With Keyboard Cleaning Slime
Slime sounds like the last thing you want to put onto a grimy keyboard, but cleaning slime really helps.
A good cleaning slime product aims to be the right amount of sticky. It’s gooey enough to catch all the dirt and lint on your keyboard, but not sticky enough to gum up your keyboard or your hands. You press it down over your keyboard keys, then peel it off to remove all the gunk.
3. Achieving a Deep Clean With Rubbing Alcohol
If you want to learn how to clean a sticky keyboard, compressed air and cleaning slime aren’t good options.
To give your keyboard a deep clean, you’ll need something strong. Rubbing alcohol (scientifically called “isopropyl alcohol”) is your best choice for cleaning your keyboard. Make sure you choose a solution that’s at least 70 percent alcohol to give it the power to kill off any germs.
